PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Salvador Strickland (ranked 7507 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Leoni (ranked 6811 p4p, 0 weight class). Mike Leoni has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Strickland
vs
Leoni

157 cm
24
177 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

190 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Salvador Strickland!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mike Leoni!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Bruno Lombardi and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Leoni throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Strickland tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Leoni is in Strickland's guard.

Strickland is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Strickland drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Leoni gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Strickland has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Leoni is trying to keep an underhook but Strickland manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Strickland sitting and controlling from the half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Strickland is trying to control. Leoni wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Leoni is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Leoni trying to control here.
Strickland keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leoni wants to get back to full guard.
Leoni wants to control but Strickland is keeping busy.
Leoni is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Leoni is staying active underneath Strickland, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Strickland performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
It looks like Strickland is going to stand back up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Leoni shoots in and bounces Strickland off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strickland is trying to control the position but Leoni postures up.
Leoni trying to control the position from guard on top but Strickland is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Leoni postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Strickland looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Leoni is stalling in the full guard.
Strickland working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Leoni looking to sit in guard and control but Strickland gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Leoni keeping moving, preventing Strickland from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strickland slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Leoni looking for a sweep. Not yet Leoni, not yet.

Leoni is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Strickland won't allow Leoni to sweep him here.
Leoni looks winded!
Strickland postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Strickland decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Strickland doesn't manage to clinch there - Leoni circles away.
Strickland fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Strickland tries to clinch up but Leoni circles away and keeps his distance.
Leoni tries to clinch but Strickland moves away
and Leoni takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
The fight stays on the outside here - Strickland looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Leoni looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

Leoni shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Strickland's guard.

Strickland pushes Leoni off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A chopping leg kick lands by Strickland.

Strickland drives through and clinches with Leoni against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salvador Strickland dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Leoni.
Strickland might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Leoni has knee on belly momentarily but Strickland bucks him off and regains half guard.
Strickland trying to control from the bottom.
Leoni prevents Strickland from improving his position.
Strickland could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Leoni is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Strickland sees it coming and defends easily.
Strickland wants to control but Leoni is keeping busy and won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leoni trying to mount his opponent but Strickland defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leoni content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Leoni is breathing heavily.
Leoni trying to mount his opponent but Strickland defends it.
Leoni keeps trying to improve his position.
Strickland is doing well to control the position and prevent Leoni from advancing to side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Leoni tries to pass the half guard into mount. Strickland knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Strickland is looking to control Leoni's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Strickland avoid being mounted?
Strickland throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Strickland is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Leoni can do to turn this around?

Excellent takedown into side control there by Leoni.
Leoni has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Strickland is hanging on here. He's in a desperate position.

Leoni is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Strickland is surviving well by controlling Leoni's body position as best he can.
Leoni wants to get back to his feet but Strickland is holding on tight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leoni looking to control but Strickland is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Strickland tries to hold on but Leoni pushes him away.

Leoni looking for a guillotine from mount but Strickland is having none of it.

Leoni goes for an armbar but Strickland turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Strickland.
Strickland postures up.
Strickland sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Leoni is trying to control the position but Strickland postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Strickland stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Leoni shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Strickland's guard.
Leoni missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Strickland wants to stand up but Leoni is controlling him.
Strickland not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Leoni trying to control the position from guard on top but Strickland is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Strickland is pulling down on Leoni's head to control his posture.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Leoni throwing strikes but missing.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Leoni showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Leoni scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Strickland is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
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Strickland sneaks out the side door and pushes Leoni away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Leoni throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Strickland swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Leoni looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Leoni is looking for a kimura here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leoni sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Strickland defending well though.
Leoni takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Strickland tries to get to full guard but Leoni has control of the leg.
Strickland wants to control but Leoni is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Leoni uses his free foot to push down on Strickland's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Strickland.

Leoni with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Strickland tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Strickland tries to hold on but Leoni postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strickland is looking to improve his position but Leoni isn't that keen on the idea.

Leoni looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Strickland tries to hold on but Leoni pushes him away.
Leoni content just to control the position here.
Leoni is trying to take his opponent's back.

Strickland defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Leoni.

Leoni looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strickland tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Strickland slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Leoni is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Strickland has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Leoni is on him like a limpet, forcing Strickland back against the cage.

Strickland is trying to trip Leoni. He has hold of a leg but Leoni is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Strickland persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Leoni is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Leoni looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Strickland wants to get up but he can't break Leoni's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strickland won't allow Leoni to sweep him here.
Strickland wants to stand but Leoni has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Strickland slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Leoni drives through with a takedown into guard.

Strickland scrambles and gets back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Strickland is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Salvador Strickland.
Well Strickland has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Salvador Strickland!